Sampling device



' Dec. 14, 1943. c. c. GILBERT 5,

SAMPLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 8, 1941 2 Sheets -Sheet i aesar Gilbert INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Dec. 14, 1943. c. C.GILBERT SAMPLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 8, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III) IIIIII'IIIIIII FIIIIIII 5 vllllrlllll Ca @ar 0. Gilbert INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 14, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMPLING DEVICE Caesar C. Gilbert, Burkburnett, Tex.

Application August 8, 1941, Serial No. 406,033

Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in sampling devices, and more particularly to a device for separating samples of rock formation from rotary drilling fluid of the character used in the drilling of deep wells by a rotary drilling 'rig.

Various attempts have been made heretofore to provide sampling devices for this purpose, but these have been relatively complicated and could be used only when the rotary rig is arranged to accommodate the particular type of sampling machine.

The object of this invention is to simplify and improve the construction of a sampling device so as to make it efiicient for separating samples of rotary drilling mud, and to construct it of sufficiently low height that it does not require the mud discharge pipe of the drilling rig to be elevated an appreciable distance above the ground. .The device is applicable to any conventional rotary drilling rig without special equipment being provided for its use.

This object is accomplished by the provision of a rotary separating screen arranged laterally of the mud discharge pipe with a connection therebetween such that a proportionate amount of the mud will be admitted to the screen, which is rotated by fluid power supplied by the mud, and the admitted proportion has the particles of rock or shale screened out from the mud and directed therefrom into a sample container.

This preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 1

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the sampling device including the mud discharge pipe;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view therethrough on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal section through the sleeve valve.

The invention is shown as applied to a drilling fluid discharge pipe designated generally by the numeral I, which is modified in construction sufficiently to accommodate this invention, and through which pipe the drilling mud from the rotary rig is discharged normally to a slush pit or other container, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.

The pipe I is modified by being notched out at 2 at its upper side to receive therein a paddle wheel 3 mounted on a shaft 4, which shaft is journaled in bearings 5 supported on out-turned flanges 8 at the opposite sides of the notch 2 in the pipe.

A rotary screen is shown at I, being constructed of truncated conical form tapering toward the pipe I and with the larger outer end of said screen facing away from said pipe. Said enlarged end is supported by a spider 8 journaled on an axle 9 mounted in a bracket Ill which is suspended from the outer end of a pipe II that extends parallel with the" screen I approximately at right angles to the pipe I, the inner end of said pipe II being welded or otherwise rigidly fixed to a side of the pipe I.

The inner end of the screen I. is mounted on a spider wheel I2 rigidly fixed on an extended hub of a sprocket wheel I3, that is journaled for free rotation on a sleeve I4. The sprocket Wheel I3 is confined against longitudinal movement to ward the pipe I by a collar I5 fixed to the sleeve I4. The sprocket wheel I3 is connected by a sprocket chain I6 with a sprocket wheel I! fixed on the shaft 4 for rotating the screen I by the paddle Wheel 3.

The sleeve I4 is permanently fixed to the under side of the pipe I,' as by Welding or otherwise, and extends substantially at right angles thereto forming a conduit. The sleeve I4 is fixed in a notch in the under side of the pipe that extends through the wall thereof and has an opening I8 in the top that is in open communication with the passageway through the pipe I, which opening I8 is controlled by a tubular valve I9 that extends through the sleeve II! and has a notch 20 therein in position to register with the opening I8 upon rotation of the tubular valve I9 relative to the sleeve. The outer end of the tubular valve I9 is closed and has a handle 2| attached thereto for rotating the valve. The opposite ends of the sleeve I4 and tubular valve I9 extend into the smaller end of the screen I, the sleeve I4 supporting the sprocket I3 and the adjacent end 'of the screen for rotation thereon.

The under 'side of the pipe II is perforated at 25, with the perforations "arranged along the length of the'pipe to direct water onto the upper surface of the screen I to keep said screen from becoming clogged with-mud and foreign matter. The water is supplied through a pipe 22 connected with the pipe II from a suitable source of supply.

A box 23 is arranged beneath the screen I to receive the filtrate through the screen, and said box has an opening 24 in one side thereof for the discharge of the filtrate therefrom. A receptacle 25 is provided at the enlarged end of the screen I. in position to catch the cuttings or particles of stone and shale discharged from the screen through the open spider wheel 8. Any

. trol of the operator.

suitable provision desired may be made for collecting the samples from the open end of the screen after the screening of the same from the mud.

In the operation of the device, the pipe I is connected with the mud discharge line from the rotary drilling rig, and as the mud flows through this pipe, it causes rotation of the paddle wheel or impeller 3, which turning movement is imparted through the chain l6 and sprocket wheels l3 and IT, to the screen I. The major porti'onof the mud will be discharged from the pipe I into the conventional slush pit.

This mud as thus discharged from the well, carries with it particles of shale, rock, and loose cuttings released by the bit. When the valve 19 is open in the position shown in Fig. 2, a proportionate amount of the mud with the cuttings car-- ried thereby, will pass through the registering openings l8 and 23 and through the sleeve valve l9 into the smaller end of the screen I. The tapering of the screen will cause the cuttings to roll downward toward the. larger end thereof by gravity, as the mud is screened therefrom into the box 23,the cuttings being discharged into the sample receptacle 25.. During the rotation of the screen I, the upper surface thereof is subjected to water sprays from the pipe H, keeping the screen clean against clogging. by mud or other foreign particles therein.

The provision of the valve l 9 allows the operator to regulate the flow of mud from the pipe I into the screen 1, whereby the desired proportionate amount of cuttings to be taken from the mud can be regulated accurately under the con- At the same time, he is assured of the taking of a proportionate sample from the cuttings carried by the mud discharged from the well.

Normally the pipe I is about eight inches indiameter, and it will be evident from Fig. 2 that this pipe does not need to be elevated above the ground more than six or seven inches in order to accommodate the use of this sampling device. That makes it. readily adaptable. in diflerent conditions without appreciable modification of the flow line from the well. It will be evident also that the device can be operated without other appurtenances necessary to make it adaptable to a particular location.

I claim:

1. In a sampling device for obtaining samples of cuttings inmud laden fluids used in rotary well drilling. the combination of a main discharge pipe, a rotary screen arranged transversely of said pipe, means for rotating said screen, a sleeve fixed to the under side of the pipe and extending into an end of the screen, said sleeve and pipe having registering openings. therein for directing fluid from the pipe. through the sleeve into ,the screen for the separation of cuttings therefrom, and a. tubular valve J'ournaled in the sleeve for turning movement therein and arranged to. control the fluid flow through the sleeve.

2. In a sampling device for obtaining samples of cuttings in mud laden fluids used in rotary well drilling, the combination of a main discharge pipe, a rotary screen arranged transversely of said pipe, means for rotating said screen, said pipe having a notch in the under side thereof, a sleeve rigidly fixed to the pipe with an opening therein registering with the notch, said sleeve extending into the adjacent end of the screen for directing fluid from the pipe-into the screen for the separation of cuttings therefrom, a tubular valve extending into the sleeve and having an opening therein in position to register with the opening in the sleeve to control the admission of fluid thereto in the pipe, and a handle attached to said tubular valve for turning the same.

3. In a samplingdevice for obtaining samples of cuttings in mud-laden fluids used in rotary well drilling, the combination of a main discharge pipe, a conduit extending transversely of the main discharge pipe approximately at right angles thereto, said pipe and conduit having registering openings for diverting from the pipe through the conduit a portion of the fluid passing through the pipe, and a rotary cylindrical screen having one end thereof journaled on said conduit and receiving the fluid therefrom to screen particles from said fluid, and means for journaling the opposite end portion of said screen.

4. In a sampling device for obtaining samples of cutting in mud-laden fluids used in rotary well drilling, the combination of a main discharge pipe, a conduit extending transversely of the main discharge pipe approximately at right angles thereto, said pipe and conduit having registering openings for diverting from the pipe through the conduit a portion of the fluid passing through the pipe, a rotary cylindrical screen having one end thereof journaled on said conduit and receiving the fluid therefrom to screen particles from said fluid, meansfor. journaling the opposite end portion of said screen, impeller means operatively mounted in the main discharge pipe, and gearingrconnecting said impeller means with the first-mentioned journaled end of the screen for rotating said screen.

5. In a sampling device for obtaining samples of'cuttings in mud-laden fluids used in rotary well drilling, the combination of a main discharge pipe, a sleeve extending transversely of the main discharge pipe approximately at right angles thereto, said pipe and sleeve having registering openings .for diverting from the pipe through the sleeve a portion of the fluid passing through the pipe, a rotary cylindrical screen having one end thereof journaled on said sleeve and receiving the fluid therefrom to screen particles from said fluid, means for journaling the opposite end portion of said screen, and a sleeve valve mounted in said sleeve in position to control the passageway through the registering openings to vary the amount of fluid diverted to said screen.

CAESAR C. GILBERT. 

